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State unemployment officials pledge to catch up soon on claims filed before May 1

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Tomasz Zajda
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Michiganders waiting months on state unemployment claims should soon have an answer.

The Unemployment Insurance Agency is pledging to process the remaining nearly 12,000 claims filed before May 1 by July 4.

“We understand that workers are frustrated.... They need this economic lifeline,” says agency spokesman Jason Moon. “That’s why we’re going to continue to work around the clock ... enhance our services and insure that every eligible Michigan worker gets every dollar they are entitled to.”

Since March 15, 2.2 million eligible claimants have applied for state and federal benefits, with over $14.3 billion in benefits paid to over 2 million workers. 94.5% of eligible claimants have received or are approved for benefits.

Of the remaining unpaid claimants, most are flagged for potential impostor fraud. Currently, 90,000 unpaid claims are flagged as potentially fraudulent while 33,000 unpaid claims are held pending adjudication for other reasons.

Steve Carmody has been a reporter for Michigan Public since 2005. Steve previously worked at public radio and television stations in Florida, Oklahoma and Kentucky, and also has extensive experience in commercial broadcasting.